TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - As the 2018 hurricane season reaches its peak, property insurers say they are prepared if a storm were to hit Florida this year.
Last year's Hurricane Irma resulted in roughly one million claims in the state, causing almost $10 billion worth of insured losses.
Insurance companies say you should double check your coverage before a storm approaches, to avoid unexpected costs following a disaster.
Hurricane deductibles are often high and are separate from standard deductibles for other claims.
Flood claims are not covered by homeowners or renter's insurance, and it takes 30 days to kick in, so once a storm approaches, it's already too late.
"Learn from the past disasters. The biggest lesson we should have learned from last year is the importance of being insured to the rebuilding cost of your home, not the real estate value," said Lynne McChristian, a spokesperson for the Insurance Information Institute. "Also, there's a very important need to have flood insurance."
McChristian says about 60 percent of Florida homeowners have no flood insurance policy to cover losses from rising water.
Insurers say any losses suffered in the Carolinas later this week, should not cause increased premiums in Florida.
